The Obama Administration is expected to announce today that it is suspending
exploratory drilling in the Arctic Ocean until next year as BP faces a
defining day in its oil spill disaster with an attempt to plug the leak in
the Gulf of Mexico with mud.

In a report to be delivered to the White House today Ken Salazar, the Interior
Secretary, is expected to say that he will not consider applications for
permits to drill in the Arctic for at least seven months.

President Obama ordered Mr Salazar to conduct a review of America’s offshore
oil drilling safety after